Terrier And Ferret

[Wirey 23]

Anyone work their terriers with ferrets? Any info appreciated on how you get them used to each other. Thanks

[neil cooney 10,416]

I used too. Used to do a bit of ratting using ferrets to bolt them and the terriers to catch the rats. But nowadays I would think the smoker has made the ratting ferret a forgotten art.

As for using ferrets to bolt rabbits for terriers ? WHY ?

Terriers IMO are no use to a rabbiting man. Not as good as a 22" inch well bred lurcher anyways. A good ferreting lurcher will mark, behave itself and catch. Will a terrier do those things.

Also as much as I can break lurchers and terriers to livestock and even the ferrets around the yard IMO to break and trust a well bred working terrier to leave a ferret alone in the excitement of a ferreting scenario is a very hard thing to do, with a lot of luck thrown in.

[neil cooney 10,416]

Sorry, your question asked how to get them used to one another.

Familiarity and then familiarity and then some familiarity.

I used to have 4 week old pups drinking milk out of the same bowl as ferrets. Then as I'd be putting dogs back into their kennels I'd have ferret in my hands and to the dogs a ferrets would just become part of the scenery.

In the field it was the same a ferret was part of the scenery but hopefully the dog would soon realise that the ferret going to ground resulted in sport.

BUT, when action is fast the steadiest of terriers will grab what they see, it's their nature.

 

It's a good question you've asked because in my opinion working terriers and ferrets together is a disappearing art.

[neil cooney 10,416]

OH, and just when you had your terrier broken to the ferret the ferret will then latch onto the terrier's nose and then it's "goodnight" so make sure your ferret is broken to your terriers.

Good luck.

[armdog 196]

ive always worked terriers and ferrets together, never had an accident either, always as neil said got them so use to each other , ive never experienced terriers grabbing ferrets and my old border bitch is the steadiest and most consistent marker ive ever had, terriers have advantages , ie ferreting thick cover, they can get in and hold rabbits in nets till you can get in, ive never had a dog for a job, ive always expected my dogs , lurchers or terriers to do what i need of them !

[rob84 112]

It's like everything else get them used to them at a young age, and really get on top of the dog to make sure it listens to you well, keep a real close eye when they start working together and make sure the dog knows that they are not to be touched, when they work well together it's good sport, a good terriers that marks and catches bolters and is generally clued up to the game is a pleasure to watch!

[terryd 8,475]

I used to have terriers for ferreting and never lost a ferret but they were educated as pups which is the important bit.

This chap was 110% with ferrets and really new the ferreting game what I would give for him now. He got nipped by the ferret as a pup and once or twice as he got older and never retaliated and he was a very game terrier on fox as well so no coward.

 

But if he was in a tight spot in a hedge and the ferret came out by him he leapt over the ferret or what ever he had to do to get out the way.

 

So in my opinion a terrier makes great ferret dog and once they get scent of a rabbit they basically follow it through any cover till it goes to ground so apart from the odd crafty rabbit you won't miss many. As long as you are using nets obviously

 

 

[darbo 4,776]

Introduced to ferrets from day 1 never a problem. Cant use a lurcher on the permissions so the terrier does the marking and holding in the nets job.A steady laid back dog.

 

[stripes 401]

I used to have terriers for ferreting and never lost a ferret but they were educated as pups which is the important bit.

This chap was 110% with ferrets and really new the ferreting game what I would give for him now. He got nipped by the ferret as a pup and once or twice as he got older and never retaliated and he was a very game terrier on fox as well so no coward.

 

But if he was in a tight spot in a hedge and the ferret came out by him he leapt over the ferret or what ever he had to do to get out the way.

 

So in my opinion a terrier makes great ferret dog and once they get scent of a rabbit they basically follow it through any cover till it goes to ground so apart from the odd crafty rabbit you won't miss many. As long as you are using nets obviously

 

 

A solid looking terrier there terry, like the look of him.

[terryd 8,475]

 

I used to have terriers for ferreting and never lost a ferret but they were educated as pups which is the important bit.

This chap was 110% with ferrets and really new the ferreting game what I would give for him now. He got nipped by the ferret as a pup and once or twice as he got older and never retaliated and he was a very game terrier on fox as well so no coward.

 

But if he was in a tight spot in a hedge and the ferret came out by him he leapt over the ferret or what ever he had to do to get out the way.

 

So in my opinion a terrier makes great ferret dog and once they get scent of a rabbit they basically follow it through any cover till it goes to ground so apart from the odd crafty rabbit you won't miss many. As long as you are using nets obviously

 

 

A solid looking terrier there terry, like the look of him.

 

 

Thank you he was special dog I remember our exploits like it was yesterday

[stripes 401]

 

 

I used to have terriers for ferreting and never lost a ferret but they were educated as pups which is the important bit.

This chap was 110% with ferrets and really new the ferreting game what I would give for him now. He got nipped by the ferret as a pup and once or twice as he got older and never retaliated and he was a very game terrier on fox as well so no coward.

 

But if he was in a tight spot in a hedge and the ferret came out by him he leapt over the ferret or what ever he had to do to get out the way.

 

So in my opinion a terrier makes great ferret dog and once they get scent of a rabbit they basically follow it through any cover till it goes to ground so apart from the odd crafty rabbit you won't miss many. As long as you are using nets obviously

 

 

A solid looking terrier there terry, like the look of him.

 

 

Thank you he was special dog I remember our exploits like it was yesterday

 

A lot of staff in him terry, good digging dog?

[Flacko 1,747]

Real tidy little dog don't see many about like that terry did you ever breed off him.Terriers or x's can be a great help when ferreting as long as they respect each other and some landowners don't mind a little tyke but won't let a running dog on.

[terryd 8,475]

 

 

 

I used to have terriers for ferreting and never lost a ferret but they were educated as pups which is the important bit.

This chap was 110% with ferrets and really new the ferreting game what I would give for him now. He got nipped by the ferret as a pup and once or twice as he got older and never retaliated and he was a very game terrier on fox as well so no coward.

 

But if he was in a tight spot in a hedge and the ferret came out by him he leapt over the ferret or what ever he had to do to get out the way.

 

So in my opinion a terrier makes great ferret dog and once they get scent of a rabbit they basically follow it through any cover till it goes to ground so apart from the odd crafty rabbit you won't miss many. As long as you are using nets obviously

 

 

A solid looking terrier there terry, like the look of him.

 

 

Thank you he was special dog I remember our exploits like it was yesterday

 

A lot of staff in him terry, good digging dog?

 

 

yes very a good solid bayer all ways saw the job out. A tad on the big side but all ways managed to get there

no never did flacko shame

Sorry for taking thread off course wirey will shut up now

Edited November 11, 2014 by terryd

[stripes 401]

 

 

 

 

I used to have terriers for ferreting and never lost a ferret but they were educated as pups which is the important bit.

This chap was 110% with ferrets and really new the ferreting game what I would give for him now. He got nipped by the ferret as a pup and once or twice as he got older and never retaliated and he was a very game terrier on fox as well so no coward.

 

But if he was in a tight spot in a hedge and the ferret came out by him he leapt over the ferret or what ever he had to do to get out the way.

 

So in my opinion a terrier makes great ferret dog and once they get scent of a rabbit they basically follow it through any cover till it goes to ground so apart from the odd crafty rabbit you won't miss many. As long as you are using nets obviously

 

 

A solid looking terrier there terry, like the look of him.

 

 

Thank you he was special dog I remember our exploits like it was yesterday

 

A lot of staff in him terry, good digging dog?

 

 

yes very a good solid bayer all ways saw the job out. A tad on the big side but all ways managed to get there

no never did flacko shame

Sorry for taking thread off course wirey will shut up now

 

[Wirey 23]

Thanks for the info lads, gonna give it a go, I've a terrier pup I'd like to work with ferrets. Will post progress